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Weaning from Breastfeeding?
Did you now that the World Health Organization or WHO recommends mothers to continue breastfeeding at least for two years? In reality most moms in developed countries stop breastfeedingtheir babies much earlier than that. Research shows that babies need to be breastfed for some 4 to 6 months to really get part of all benefits of breastfeeding. benefits of breastfeeding. So if you can, at least breastfeed during your baby first half year. But if you want and can continue to breastfeed, go ahead! Don't let anyone else (than maybe your baby...) put pressure on you to stop! Anyway, there will be a time when you'll want to or have to wean from breastfeeding. For a smooth ride, check our tips below.
Weaning Tips
When do I have to stop breastfeeding? There is no "have to". Not for complete weaning anyway. Of course, in some cases mom needs to stop breastfeeding for medical reasons, but that is a special case. Even then, a pediatrician or obstetricians might be able to find a drug that is safe to use while breastfeeding - remember to always ask twice! Even if you need to go back to work or have to travel a lot with your job, you can continue breastfeeding in the morning and evening or when you're not traveling. Bring a pump while traveling to stimulate milk production. What is generally recommended for babies is to start with solid foods at some point around 6 months old. This means that your process to stop nursing will start by then if not earlier. So, the choice is yours - and your baby's. If you let your baby decide (so called baby-led weaning), it will definitely be a gradual process, probably stretching over several months. One of the best ways to begin weaning from breastfeeding is to gradually replace one nursing session with a single formula feed or solid food, depending on your baby's age.
When one formula feed of serving of solid foods works well and you observe no reaction from your breasts or your baby, you may proceed to replace another breastfeeding session within a few days. When you start feeding formula milk or solid foods to your infant, you should watch how they react to it. Generally, when babies can’t adapt to some foods, they show several symptoms like vomiting, spitting, crying, gas, body rashes, redness on the rectum, runny nose, watery stools and wheezing. If your baby mainly breastfeed at night and that's the last part of the weaning process left, try to let him sleep with you partner instead. If your partner has to feed him at night, offer formula or water. If it works to offer him only his pacifier or possibly water, many old enough babies (usually older than 6-8 months), start sleeping through the night real quickly using this method, and fast! I know many moms who have discovered this with great surprise. While putting an end to breastfeeding, you should also remember to take care of your breasts as well by wearing a supportive bra. If you wean your baby from your breast quickly, the risk of getting mastitis is much higher. If your breasts become engorged, express some milk, but don't empty your breast. If you do, this will be a signal for the breast to produce even more milk, completely contra productive if you want to stop breastfeeding. Again if you go slowly, milk production has a change to adapt naturally and the risk for problems for you is much lower. The excessive swelling of your breasts and unfavorable reactions to formula milk from your baby may both be signs that the process is going to fast and that you should slow it down more to make the transition phase easier on you and your child as well. Even if you want to wean as fast as possible, try to stretch it over as many days as you possibly can, to avoid problems for both you and your baby. If possible, don't replace more than one feeding a day with formula (and solid foods), so your baby and your breasts have some time to adapt and so that you get a chance spotting any allergic reactions in your baby.
To stop breastfeeding can be a relief or actually kind of a sorrow. A very special episode is about to end. A mother breastfeeding her baby can be a very sacred bond and if you do feel sad about it, it is completely natural. Take your time if possible. While there are cases when the baby decides one day that enough is enough, most babies certainly won't mind a slow process.
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